Article For Multiple Core Stacking And Method Thereof

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a mold for casting multiple castings in sand including a flaskless mold and a core assembly. The core assembly is within the flaskless mold with the sand surrounding the core assembly. The core assembly can have a central axis, a plurality of window cores and at least two splitter cores. The plurality of window cores and the at least two splitter cores are alternately stacked to form a plurality of casting cavities along the central axis. In some instances, two of the plurality of window cores are mirror-image oriented with respect to each other along the central axis and two of the plurality of window cores are oriented the same with respect to each other along the central axis. At least one of the at least two splitter cores can be a thin splitter core that separates two casting cavities that are spaced apart and mirror-image oriented with respect to each other and one of the at least two splitter cores can be a thick splitter core that separates two casting cavities that are spaced apart from and oriented the same with respect to each other along the central axis.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/864,677 filed Nov. 7, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference,

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to casting molds. More specifically the invention relates to a multiple component casting mold.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a typical molding operation, the casting impression or cavity is present in two parts—one part being one side of a pattern plate and one part being the other side of the pattern plate. In the alternative, two separate pattern plates can be used. A molding media is placed or formed around each half of the pattern plate in order to create a mold half, and both halves of the mold are brought together at the mold parting line in order to create a complete mold cavity. The mold cavity is then filled with liquid metal, for example liquid iron, in order to produce a cast component once the molten metal has solidified. In instances when a hole, passage or void is required within the casting, a core is placed into the mold to create the required cavity in the finished product.

Available space on a pattern can be used to provide for more than one impression of the component to be cast. The additional impression(s) can be placed side by side on a pattern plate to afford for multiple components to be produced during a single pour of molten metal. Any improvement that allows for additional components to be produced within the same mold for a given pour will increase the efficiency and cost structure of the process. Therefore, an improved casting mold allowing for multiple cast components to be produced and a method thereof would be desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a mold for casting multiple castings in sand including a flaskless mold and a core assembly. The core assembly is within the flaskless mold with the sand surrounding the core assembly. The core assembly can have a central axis, a plurality of window cores and at least two splitter cores. The plurality of window cores and the at least two splitter cores are alternately stacked to form a plurality of casting cavities along the central axis. In some instances, two of the plurality of window cores are mirror-image oriented with respect to each other along the central axis and two of the plurality of window cores are oriented the same with respect to each other along the central axis. At least one of the at least two splitter cores can be a thin splitter core that separates two casting cavities that are spaced apart and mirror-image oriented with respect to each other and one of the at least two splitter cores can be a thick splitter core that separates two casting cavities that are spaced apart from and oriented the same with respect to each other along the central axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a core assembly;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 within a flask;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 after casting cavities have been filled with molten metal;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of representative components formed by the embodiment shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment for a different core assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention includes a multi-component casting mold and a method of making thereof. As such, the present invention has utility as a casting mold.

The multiple component casting mold includes a core assembly that can be placed between a cope portion and a drag portion of a flask. In the alternative, the core assembly can be placed between the cope portion and drag portion of a flaskless mold or between a ram portion and a swing portion of a vertical mold that has a flask or is flaskless.

The core assembly has a plurality of cores that are stacked to form a plurality of casting cavities along a central axis. The plurality of cores can include a plurality of a first set of cores and a plurality of a second set of cores that are stacked to form the plurality of casting cavities along the central axis. In some instances the plurality of first set of cores are window cores and the plurality of second set of cores are splitter cores. The window cores and the splitter cores can be alternatively stacked together to form the plurality of casting cavities along a central axis of the core assembly. In some instances, the core assembly affords for at least two components to be cast from one pour of liquid metal. In other instances, the core assembly affords for at least three components to be cast from one pour of liquid metal. For the purposes of the present invention, window core is defined as a core that affords for a window or void to be present in a cast component and splitter core is defined as a core that separates or splits two window cores.

The plurality of first set of cores can include two window cores that are stacked in a mirror-image orientation with respect to each other along the central axis of the core assembly. The plurality of first set of cores can also include two window cores that are stacked with the same orientation along the central axis. Between at least two casting cavities, a splitter core is located. One of the splitter cores can be a thin splitter core separating two casting cavities that are spaced apart and mirror-image oriented with respect to each other along the central axis. Another splitter core can be a thick splitter core separating two casting cavities that are spaced apart from and have the same orientation with each other along the central axis.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown one embodiment of the core assembly at reference numeral 10. The embodiment 10 of FIG. 1 includes a core assembly 100 with a plurality of window cores 110, 120, 130 and at least two splitter cores 150, 160. In some instances, the window cores 110, 120, 130 afford for venting windows within a vented brake disc. The core assembly 100 has a central axis 102. As illustrated in this figure, a plurality of casting cavities 210, 220, 222, 230 can be present at least partially within the window cores 110, 120, 130 and between one of the window cores 110, 120, 130 and the at least two a splitter cores 150 and/or 160.

In some instances, the window core 120 can be spaced apart from and mirror-image oriented with respect to the window core 130 about the central axis 102. In other instances, the window core 110 is spaced apart from and has the same orientation as the window core 120 about the central axis 102.

Between the window core 110 and the window core 120 can be a thick splitter core 150. In addition, a thin splitter core 160 can be at least partially between the window core 120 that is mirror-image oriented with respect to the window core 130. Thus with the stacking of the window cores 110, 120, 130 and the splitter cores 150, 160, a plurality of casting cavities 210, 220, 222, 230 about the central axis 102 can be created.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the core assembly 100 is located within a flaskless mold 300 having sand 400. The flaskless mold 300 includes a cope portion 310 and a drag portion 320. It is appreciated that the flaskless mold 300 can be a vertical mold with a ram portion and swing portion. In fact, it is known to those skilled in the art that if the flaskless mold 300 was rotated 90 degrees in FIG. 2, a vertical flaskless mold would be illustrated with the cope portion 310 and the drag portion 320 representing the ram portion and the swing portion, respectively.

Cavities formed within the sand 400 of the cope portion 310 and the drag portion 320 afford for additional casting cavities 212, 232 between the sand 400 and the window core 110 and the window core 130, respectively. It is appreciated that the pattern within the sand 400 of the cope portion 310 and the drag portion 320 affords for the placement of the core assembly 100 at least partially within one of the portions and the other portion placed next to. It is also appreciated that the cope portion 310 and the drag portion 320 can be held adjacent to each other such casting of components can be afforded. In this manner, the core assembly 100 is enclosed within the flaskless mold 300. Although not shown in this figure, passageways for liquid metal to pass through the flaskless mold 300 are included and afford for the filling of the casting cavities.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, FIG. 3 illustrates the core assembly 100 and the flaskless mold 300 wherein the casting cavities 210, 212, 220, 222, 230, 232 have been filled with liquid metal to form castings 215, 225, 235. FIG. 4 illustrates the castings 215, 225, 235 formed from the casting cavities 210, 212, 220, 222, 230, 232 with the castings removed from the core assembly 100 and flaskless mold 300. In this manner, the core assembly 100 with the flaskless mold 300 and sand 400 affords for multiple components to be cast from a single metal pour. As shown in this figure and for illustrative purposes only, the castings can produce brake discs.

Another embodiment of a core assembly is shown in FIG. 5 wherein a core assembly 101 with an outer surface 103 is illustrated within the flaskless mold 300. In this embodiment, a plurality of window cores 115, 125, 135, and splitter cores 155, 165 are alternately stacked to afford for a plurality of castings 216, 226, 236 that are spaced apart from and oriented the same to each other about a central axis 104. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the window cores 115, 125, 135 and the splitter cores 155, 165 are dimensioned such that the outer surface 103 affords a continuous draft line 105 for the core assembly 101. The outer surface 103 can be conical, rectangular or trapezoidal. The continuous draft line 105 affords for pattern tooling that can be built with minimal clearance between the core and the mold for accurate placement of the cores. The continuous draft line 105 also reduces the probability of scuffing of the mold surface. For the purposes of the present invention, scuffing is defined as the rubbing of the core(s) against the mold surface, resulting in sand removal. Scuffing can cause casting defects and is more likely to occur when steps or uneven surfaces are present in the core assembly. An increase in casting defects causes an increase in the number of castings that have to be scrapped.

The cores and the mold can be produced using any typical molding operation, illustratively including the use of resin coated sand that cures by exposure to heat, air or any other gaseous substance. The core and mold material can also be what is typically referred to as green sand which is combined with clay bonding material and water.

The core assembly described above can be used for producing more than one component in a single mold using castings that typically do not use a core or for castings where certain components do use a core. Once the various cores have been produced, they can be assembled either manually or automatically before being placed into a flask. In the alternative, the cores can be assembled using a combination of manual and automatic techniques.

The core assembly affords for a first part of the cores, for example the window cores, to be produced in one core making machine, and then placed within a second core making machine wherein a second part of the core assembly is formed, for example blown, around the first part. Furthermore, the assembly of cores can be held together using any technique or method known to those skilled in the art, illustratively including gluing, nailing, clipping, built-in core locks and combinations thereof.

The core assembly of the present invention can be produced and placed in a vertically or horizontally oriented mold. The vertical or horizontal mold can have a flask or be flaskless. Gating and risering (not shown) that affords for molten metal to enter the various casting cavities and produce sound castings are present within the mold cavity, the core assembly and combinations thereof. The gating and risering is designed to specifications known to those skilled in the art.

A method for making a multiple component casting mold can include providing the flaskless mold 300 with the cope portion 310 and the drag portion 320 having a pattern that is complementary to at least part of the core assembly 100. In the alternative, the method can include providing a vertical mold having a ram portion and a swing portion with a pattern that is complementary to at least part of the core assembly 100. The core assembly 100 is provided by taking the plurality of window cores 110, 120, 130 and alternately stacking them with the at least two splitter cores 150 and 160. The stacking of the window cores 110, 120, 130 and the splitter cores 150, 160 is performed manually, automatically and/or combinations thereof in such a manner as to provide the plurality of the casting cavities 210, 212, 220, 222, 230, 232 along the central axis 102.

Once the core assembly 100 has been assembled, it can be placed at least partially within the cope portion 310 or the drag portion 320 of the flaskless mold 300. After placement at least partially within the cope portion 310 or drag portion 320, the other portion not having the core assembly 100 at least partially therein is placed adjacent to the core assembly 100 and the two portions 310, 320 are held together or attached to each other with the core assembly 100 enclosed therebetween. Additional casting cavities 212, 232 are formed between the sand 400 and the window cores 110, 130, respectively. It is appreciated that the core assembly 100 is generally complementary in shape with the pattern formed within the cope portion 310 and the drag portion 320.

Once the core assembly 100 is generally enclosed within the flaskless mold 300, liquid metal can be poured to fill the casting cavities 210, 212, 220, 222, 230, 232. After the liquid metal has been poured and fills the casting cavities 210, 212, 220, 222, 230, 232, it is allowed to cool and solidify. Thereafter the castings 215, 225, 235 can be removed from the flaskless mold 300 and separated from the core assembly 100. Although the figures illustrate the production of three components using a total of three window cores and two splitter cores, this exact number of cores is not required and additional cores can be used in order to produce additional cast components.

The foregoing drawings, discussion and description are illustrative of specific embodiments of the present invention, but they are not meant to be limitations upon the practice thereof. Numerous modifications and variations of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the teaching presented herein. It is the following claims, including all equivalents, which define the scope of the invention. 

1. A mold for forming multiple castings in sand, said mold comprising: a mold made from sand; a core assembly positioned in said sand, said core assembly having: a central axis; and a plurality of cores stacked to form a plurality of casting cavities along said central axis.
 2. The mold of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cores is a plurality of a first set of cores and a plurality of a second set of cores.
 3. The mold of claim 2, wherein said plurality of said first set of cores and said plurality of said second set of cores are alternately stacked to form said plurality of casting cavities along said central axis.
 4. The mold of claim 3, wherein two of said plurality of said first set of cores are mirror-image oriented to each other along said central axis.
 5. The mold of claim 3, wherein two of said plurality of said first set of cores are oriented the same to each other along said central axis.
 6. The mold of claim 3, wherein all of said plurality of said first set of cores are spaced apart and oriented the same to each other along said central axis.
 7. The mold of claim 3, wherein all of said plurality of said second set of cores are spaced apart and oriented the same to each other along said central axis.
 8. The mold of claim 7, wherein said plurality of said second set of cores each separate two casting cavities spaced apart from and oriented the same to each other along said central axis.
 9. The mold of claim 8, wherein an outer surface of said plurality of said first set cores and said plurality of said second set of cores forms a continuous draft line on said core assembly.
 10. The mold of claim 3, wherein at least one of said plurality of said second set of cores is a thin splitter core separating two casting cavities spaced apart and mirror-image oriented to each other along said central axis.
 11. The mold of claim 10, wherein at least one of said plurality of said second set of cores is a thick splitter core separating two casting cavities spaced apart from and oriented the same to each other along said central axis.
 12. The mold of claim 2, wherein said plurality of said first set of cores are window cores.
 13. The mold of claim 2, wherein said plurality of said second set of cores are splitter cores.
 14. A method for making a mold for multiple castings in sand, the method including the steps: providing a flaskless mold, the flaskless mold having a ram portion and a swing portion; providing a plurality of cores: stacking the plurality of cores along a central axis to form a core assembly with a plurality of casting cavities; placing the sand within the ram portion and the swing portion of the flask; forming a core assembly cavity within the ram portion and the swing portion; placing the core assembly between the ram portion and the swing portion of the flaskless mold; and enclosing the core assembly between the ram portion and the swing portion of the flaskless mold to form a mold for multiple castings in sand.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of cores includes a plurality of a first set of cores and a plurality of a second set of cores.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein two of the plurality of first set of cores are mirror-image oriented to each other along the central axis.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein two of the plurality of first set of cores are oriented the same to each other along the central axis.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of first set of cores are window cores.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of second set of cores are splitter cores.
 20. A method for making a mold for multiple castings in sand, the method including the steps: providing a flask, the flask having a cope portion and a drag portion; providing a core assembly, the core assembly further including. a central axis; a plurality of window cores and at least two splitter cores, said plurality of window cores and said at least two splitter cores alternately stacked to provide a plurality of casting cavities along the central axis; providing sand within the cope portion and the drag portion of the flask; placing the core assembly between the cope portion and the drag portion of the flask; and enclosing the core assembly between the cope portion and the drag portion of the flask to form a multiple casting mold. 